Mexico’s Club León is working diligently to relieve the New York Red Bulls of Rafa Márquez, who has failed to live up to advance billing during this two-plus years in MLS.

León president Jesús Martínez Murguía told Mexico’s Récord on Wednesday that the club has made a “major approach for the services of Rafa Márquez” and that an agreement could come this week. “Anything can happen, so don’t want to harm it by talking too much. But we are in talks and hopefully something will materialize. Hopefully, we will reach an agreement.”

Mexico’s Club León is working diligently to relieve the New York Red Bulls of Rafa Márquez, who has failed to live up to advance billing during this two-plus years in MLS. (AP Photo)

Márquez, 33, is making $4.6 million per season on a contract that reportedly is entering an option year. He’s been more of a designated problem than a designated player for the hard-luck Red Bulls. His play has been lackluster, when he’s been available, and his behavior the source of considerable controversy.

Márquez has appeared in only 38 of New York’s 73 MLS games over the past two years. He’s been suspended for breaking an opponent’s collar bone with a deliberate kick, for criticizing his own Red Bulls teammates and for starting a near brawl at the conclusion of a 2011 MLS Cup playoff game. He’s been ejected from New York’s season-ending defeats in each of the past two years.

Despite that record, Martínez said he is interested in signing the defender because he has “a lot of experience” and “still has several years” to recapture the form that made him a key part of Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League winning teams in ‘06 and ‘09. León advanced to the Liga MX semifinals this season, its first after being promoted back into the top flight, and qualified to be one of Mexico’s three guest teams in the 2013 Copa Libertadores.